Couscous and what restaurants to go to for it

[robyn]

Host’s note:

This is split off from here because it concerns couscous not "Types of restaurants":

Sept 4 Julot said

Otherwise, I should also mention that Couscous now officially is a national dish and part of our traditions.

Which kind of couscous - the small ones - or the big ones (which are usually called Israeli or pearl couscous in the United States)? Or both? Robyn

[robyn]

Sept 9 Pti responded Robyn,

couscous is a complete dish, not just the cereal, and there are many different kinds of couscous dishes.

Hi Ptipois - I'm aware that couscous is both an ingredient - and sometimes a complete dish (sometimes a side dish). I was just wondering what type of couscous (ingredient) we were talking about.

[Ptipois]

Hi Robyn, couscous in its multi-faced Maghrebi incarnation refers to a complete dish containing fine-grained or medium-grained (slightly coarser) couscous cereal. In some regions cracked barley (belboula) or green wheat are used. Most of the time it is composed of a spiced broth of meat (mutton or lamb, chicken, sometimes beef), vegetables (anything you want, but mostly carrots, turnips, celery, zucchini and chickpeas), served with the steamed cereal. With local variations this is a dish of Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

Large pearl-shaped pellets, which are called "baballes" in Algeria and Tunisia, are not technically couscous and do not lend themselves to the same type of dish.

Couscous was made in France long before the colonial era since Rabelais (16th c.) mentions it ("coscoton à la mauresque"). It (kouss-kouss) was one of writer George Sand's specialties back in the mid-19th century.

About terroir, I am not the Michelin and I only think terroir is a concept with a solid definition (for instance in winemaking), not a style of cooking.

Edited September 10, 2008 by Ptipois (log)

[robyn]

Let me say to start that I'm a New YOrker and not an expert in parisian food. That said, we've been to Paris numerous times and by now have some clear ideas of the kinds of restaurants that we like and that we don't like. The smaller bistros llke La Regalade, l'Ami Jean, tend to really good meals at reasonable cost. But you ask particularly about brasseries. Let me say, that we've never had a great meal at a brasserie in Paris. They can be fun but the food is definitely less than memorable. However, they are often the only option for Sunday night dining. I note that you are active in the New York forum. New York, interestingly, has our favorite Brasserie, Balthazar. I often describe Balthazar as the brasserie that you are always looking for in Paris but never quite find. Keith McNally has basically put together Brasserie "greatest hits" in terms of food, architecture, and ambience.

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Thanks for the feedback. I have been to France perhaps 6 or 7 times - but last trip was about 20 years ago. I live in northeast Florida - get to New York about once every 4-5 years - and like Balthazar - a plate of fruits de mer - some frites - and a nice white wine. Usually for an early before theater dinner if the theater is near "downtown". We have a similar restaurant here in Jacksonville (Bistro Aix) - really good for Jacksonville - not as good as Balthazar. On the other hand - if you're paying about $50 for food for 2 for dinner - it is hard to complain. I get the definite impression after reading a lot about food in Paris these days that I will be disappointed with brasserie food. I have zero interest in hanger steaks when I can buy rib eyes on sale for $7/pound and grill them myself (Costco was selling prime rib eyes for about $10/pound this summer). Fruits de mer are expensive no matter where you buy them - so it is worth a few extra dollars to buy the best.

I think I would rather have an interesting couscous than a mediocre hanger steak . Which leads to - Ptipois - thanks for the explanation of couscous in Paris. I make dishes like that at home - but they are not in general sold at restaurants where I live. Sounds like a good dish for takeout if we are really exhausted (which we certainly will be a couple of days) and want to crash in the hotel - sitting in bed and eating dinner. Are there takeout couscous restaurants (perhaps this is a silly question - but it sounds like the cuisine would lend itself to "take-out" diining - I don't have a clue and am just asking)?

FWIW - this may well be our last trip to France - if only because my husband and I are over 60 - and have a lot of other places in the world we want to see before we have physical problems with travel (also travel in general has become a big PITA for everyone - but I am getting weary of having my husband's leg brace tested for 20 minutes for explosives every time we go through airport security) - so cost really isn't an issue (although I don't want to pay a lot of money to get mediocre or worse food). Robyn

[Ptipois]

Yes there is take-out couscous in Paris but it is more frequently bought or ordered on the phone from take-out counters. It really takes sitting down to enjoy a couscous so if you don't do it at home I recommend tasting it at a restaurant.

Being somewhat messy, it is definitely not hotel room food because you have to do your own thing with meat, vegetables, couscous and broth, each item being brougt in a separate container. I'm not even sure the hotel management would let you order couscous in your room.

My favorite couscous joints are holes-in-the-wall, but you can have decent Fassi (Fes) moroccan couscous at L'Atlas, in the lower numbers of bd Saint-Germain, close to the Institut du monde arabe. That is the one I'd recommend.

Le 404 in le Marais is good as I remember it, but I have to check again.

[John Talbott]

Yes there is take-out couscous in Paris but it is more frequently bought or ordered on the phone from take-out counters. It really takes sitting down to enjoy a couscous so if you don't do it at home I recommend tasting it at a restaurant.

Being somewhat messy, it is definitely not hotel room food because you have to do your own thing with meat, vegetables, couscous and broth, each item being brougt in a separate container. I'm not even sure the hotel management would let you order couscous in your room.

My favorite couscous joints are holes-in-the-wall, but you can have decent Fassi (Fes) moroccan couscous at L'Atlas, in the lower numbers of bd Saint-Germain, close to the Institut du monde arabe. That is the one I'd recommend.

Le 404 in le Marais is good as I remember it, but I have to check again.

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I'd rather make it at home but once, for reasons that escape me, I ordered it in from Allo Couscous and it was not half bad. The delivery guy was a hoot, it was elaborately delivered in multiple containers and my family has made fun of me and it ever since; ergo a good experiment.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

I think no couscous place beats Wally. To me it is a destination restaurant, always a party.

Now maybe it is just not fair to compare them to other couscous restaurants because they do "dry" saharian couscous, without the big stock. So, basically a different dish. But it's also unfair to compare them because Wally is way better, if you ask me.

Edited September 11, 2008 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)

[boston]

I know we are moving off the original subject.

I will add a vote for Table de Fes for Morrocan coucous.

Bosotn

[nickrey]

Reading through this thread brought back some pleasant memories for me.

Visiting a colleague in Paris, he took me out to dinner at a wonderful Moroccan restaurant (it was while ago and I can't remember the name, sorry). He explained that this style of food represented the most typical "ethnic" food in Paris and enjoyed most of its popularity after French colonization in that part of the world.

The way that it was served was with some cooked couscous on plate in front of you with the meat and vegetables on a separate plate and the liquid in a soup tureen. You ate the dish by putting some of the meat and vegetable dish on the couscous, spooning over the broth and adding liberal amounts of harissa. The taste was superb and quite unlike any couscous I had eaten to that time.

The way of eating is something I try to replicate as much as possible when cooking Couscous at home and it always takes me back to a time in Paris and a North African restaurant experience that I did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed.

[Ptipois]

Well, couscous is GOOD. When you can have it with very fluffy-white grain, it can be heavenly. The key is proper steaming and adding plenty of butter. This is how it is served at L'Atlas and in the now defunct La Mitidja (rue Lacépède), formerly the best cheap couscous in Paris.

Now I can only designate the ex-second best, which has become first best (Chez Hamadi, rue Boutebrie, 5e arrondissement). But at Chez Hamadi couscous is of a different style (Tunisian), not at all served the fluffy-white way but rather the dry-red way (the grain is saturated with the top fat from the broth). It is also very good that way.

Be warned that Chez Hamadi is not at all an elegant place.

[John Talbott]

I think no couscous place beats Wally. To me it is a destination restaurant, always a party.

Now maybe it is just not fair to compare them to other couscous restaurants because they do "dry" saharian couscous, without the big stock. So, basically a different dish. But it's also unfair to compare them because Wally is way better, if you ask me.

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Julien; your point is a good one. Wally's old designation after all was the Saharian, and while their meat (mechoui say) is good, I don't like their dry couscous, it is indeed a different dish as you say. I might point out for folks who don't know the hill, that since he moved over it to the Paris side, he's got a boutique selling take out.

Well, couscous is GOOD. When you can have it with very fluffy-white grain, it can be heavenly. The key is proper steaming and adding plenty of butter. This is how it is served at L'Atlas and in the now defunct La Mitidja (rue Lacépède), formerly the best cheap couscous in Paris.

And I agreed with Pti, Atlas was my favorite wet couscous and pastilla of pigeon place until I realized what I really liked was lots of zucchini and chicken soup and even more harissa and it's so easy to make (couscous pots are sold all over, at least in my inelegant area) I rarely eat it out any more. Agreed also about the butter, it elevates and changes the grain.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

I will add a vote for Table de Fes for Morrocan coucous.

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seconded

Edited September 12, 2008 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)